Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

Rebuilding Trust in Phone Numbers: Phound Business Launches at Channel Partners, a new platform aimed at restoring trust, privacy, and control in the phone system—this time, with enterprise-grade capabilities

In a special Technology Reseller News podcast, Dave Erickson, co-founder of Phound and long-time telecom innovator behind CarrierX and Free Conference Call, sat down with publisher Doug Green to discuss the launch of Phound Business, a new platform aimed at restoring trust, privacy, and control in the phone system—this time, with enterprise-grade capabilities.

“We’re reinventing the telephone numbering system,” said Erickson. “Over the years, trust in the phone network has eroded. Phound Business is our answer to robocalls, spoofing, and lack of identity control—bringing modern privacy-first functionality to business communication.”

Built on the foundation of the original Phound.app—a secure, self-managed caller ID and contact card system—Phound Business allows organizations to distribute virtual phone numbers to team members across devices, while maintaining full control over billing, access, and security.

A Business-Ready Phone Identity Platform

The platform gives users the ability to switch between personal and business personas, assign multiple ringtones, control availability hours, and enable detailed access settings that define who can call or message—and when.

“Think of it as a virtual closed calling network,” Erickson explained. “You can limit communications to internal departments, vendors, or even specific individuals. And when someone outside the network tries to call, they’re asked to authenticate themselves before getting through.”

Key features of Phound Business include:

Unified Billing: One admin portal for managing hundreds or thousands of phones, all billed centrally.

Comprehensive Access Controls: Permissions based on trust level, with granular control for each contact.

Privacy-First Security: All numbers are authenticated, and user data remains protected through customizable visibility settings.

Persona Switching: Seamlessly manage personal and business identities from one device.

Spam-Free Calling: Closed network architecture drastically reduces robocalls and scams.

Erickson emphasized the growing importance of trusted communication in an era of deepfakes and AI-driven scams. “We’re heading into a future where verifying who’s calling—and protecting your contact network—is more critical than ever,” he said.

Looking Ahead at Channel Partners

Phound is showcasing this new platform at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo this week in Las Vegas, where the company is meeting with resellers and MSPs interested in monetizing privacy-first telecom. “There’s real buzz around the show this year,” said Erickson. “We’re looking to partner with people who see the opportunity to clean up the phone call ecosystem—and make money doing it.”

To learn more about Phound Business or to schedule a meeting with Dave and his team, visit phound.app.

In a special Technology Reseller News podcast, Clinton Fitch, Director of Strategic Partnership at Ooma, joined Doug Green to discuss the fast-shifting landscape of POTS line replacement—and why now is the time for both enterprises and exchange carriers to act.

With over 171 million POTS lines in the U.S. in 2005, that number has plummeted to just 11.6 million in 2024, according to Telegeography. While most standard voice lines have been replaced, critical-use analog lines—such as elevator phones, fire panels, and fax machines—remain. These are now under increasing threat, as carriers begin rapidly sunsetting copper networks.

“The time for POTS replacement is now,” said Fitch, citing recent announcements such as AT&T’s plan to exit copper entirely by 2029. With the FCC’s 2019 ruling now fully in effect, carriers are allowed to abandon copper and charge premium prices for maintaining legacy lines. The result: exchange carriers and their customers may receive only 30–90 days’ notice before a vital analog line is shut down.

Enter Ooma AirDial®—a certified, all-in-one cloud-based solution designed to replace legacy POTS lines with support for elevators, fire alarms, entry systems, modems, fax machines, and more. AirDial is certified by NFPA, the New York Fire Department, and the California State Fire Marshal, and supports HIPAA and PCI compliance.

Built for rapid deployment, Ooma AirDial® offers:

Dual-path connectivity (Ethernet + LTE) with MultiPath Transport™ for maximum reliability

Remote Device Management via a secure, intuitive cloud platform

Patented packet duplication for seamless call continuity

Carrier-ready flexibility for white-label and managed service deployment

According to Ooma’s recent survey conducted with CIO Magazine, over 50% of organizations are actively evaluating or replacing their POTS infrastructure. But for the remaining users—many of whom are unaware of copper sunset deadlines—the window for a smooth transition is rapidly closing.

“We’re entering a traffic jam,” warned Fitch. “By 2027–2029, demand will outstrip supply for solutions, deployments, and expertise. If you’re not starting now, you risk getting stuck at the back of the line—and your elevators, alarms, and other systems may stop working.”

Ooma AirDial® is available now to exchange carriers, MSPs, and end customers—either through direct purchase or via carrier partnerships. With tens of thousands of units already deployed across healthcare, retail, education, and property management sectors, the solution is proven and ready to scale.

Learn more at www.ooma.com/business/airdial, or reach out directly at [email protected] to start your strategy discussion today.

At Enterprise Connect 2025, John Tucker, VP of Product at Intermedia, shared how the company is strengthening its AI, UCaaS, and CCaaS capabilities while deepening its commitment to partners in the MSP and service provider space.

Intermedia recently announced intelligent archiving integration for Microsoft Teams, addressing a key challenge for businesses—siloed data across UC, CC, and M365 email. By unifying communications records into a single platform, Intermedia enhances compliance and enables AI-powered insights for more effective business decision-making.

With 95% of its business driven by partners, Intermedia continues to refine its white-label UCaaS and CCaaS solutions. The Intermedia Ascend program, now supporting 50+ service providers, allows CSPs to integrate their own network and PSTN assets while delivering a competitive cloud communications offering.

AI was a central theme at Enterprise Connect, and Tucker emphasized the importance of moving beyond AI hype to create real business impact. Intermedia’s AI capabilities focus on:

Actionable insights from integrated UC, CC, and email data

AI-powered compliance and security features

Sales enablement and training to help partners compete more effectively

Intermedia will continue engaging with partners at Channel Partners in Las Vegas next week and Cloud Connections in St. Petersburg in April.

For more information, visit www.intermedia.com.

At Enterprise Connect 2025, I caught up with Jeffrey Palmer and Rob McDougall of Upstream Works, a company with a 25-year track record of simplifying agent desktops and optimizing the contact center experience.

While much of the industry has focused on customer experience, Upstream Works continues to champion the agent experience—eliminating silos and delivering consistency across voice, video, and digital channels.

One highlight of our conversation: Upstream Works AgentNow, an innovative solution born out of a collaboration with United Airlines. AgentNow enables face-to-face communication between customers and agents via a smartphone, email link, or QR code—no more waiting in line at the airport. Already adopted across industries like healthcare, financial services, and education, it’s proving to be a scalable, low-overhead, managed service with real business outcomes.

We also discussed the new Omni AI Hub, a flexible AI integration platform that brings AI tools together under one seamless experience. Whether it's Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or Upstream Works’ own models, the Hub lets organizations apply the right AI tool for the job while giving agents a consistent, unified interface. AI finally becomes operational and useful—without adding new silos to the desktop.

It’s clear: Upstream Works is helping enterprises move from AI buzz to AI reality.

Learn more at www.upstreamworks.com

#EnterpriseConnect #AI #CX #ContactCenter #AgentExperience #UnifiedCommunications #CustomerService #UpstreamWorks #AgentNow #OmniAIHub #VideoEngagement #UCaaS #CCaaS

Don’t miss this podcast, where Ingram Micro’s John Fago explains how the platform company is elevating the power of community by bringing its two Five-Star partner communities—Ingram Micro SMB Alliance and Ingram Micro Trust X Alliance (TXA)—together under the international brand of TXA. He explores how this move is creating a strong, industry-leading global peer-to-peer community of 500+ premiere Technology Advisors and MSPs across 7 countries, where members can connect with peers facing the same challenges and situations, and learn from and support one another.

Throughout the discussion, John and Doug review the history of Ingram Micro’s communities, the drivers behind the decision to unite the two programs, and what it all means for Community members. John also shares a sneak peek at what’s next for Trust X Alliance. For more information on Trust X Alliance, click here.

At Enterprise Connect 2025, Gerry Christensen, founder of Wireless Waypoint, is preparing for an important panel discussion: “Building Trust in Outbound Calling Systems” on Thursday, March 20, at 9 a.m.

Restoring Trust in Caller ID

Many consumers no longer trust unknown calls, assuming they’re scams. Even essential calls—like fraud alerts from banks—are often ignored because they appear as "Spam Likely." Christensen emphasized that branded calling, authentication, and consent management are key to rebuilding trust.

Steps for IT Managers

For enterprises managing outbound calls, Christensen suggests:

Know Your Customer (KYC) – Verify who is making calls on your behalf.

Authentication & Validation – Ensure calls originate from trusted sources.

Branded Calling – Display logos, reasons for calls, and verified IDs.

Call Routing Awareness – Understand how calls travel through the network to avoid losing attestation levels.

A-B Testing & Industry-Specific Approaches

Companies can experiment with branded calling by A/B testing:

A Group – Calls with branding, such as a company logo and caller ID.

B Group – Standard outbound calls.

This helps businesses measure response rates and effectiveness.

Additionally, Christensen stressed the importance of industry-specific use cases—such as banks notifying customers of fraud alerts or healthcare providers confirming appointments.

Where to Learn More

Christensen encourages IT leaders to analyze their call origination process, work with trusted providers, and optimize call routing. For more insights or consulting, he is available via:

Enterprise Connect app

Wireless Waypoint website

LinkedIn

As outbound calling evolves with AI and authentication tools, Christensen’s insights at Enterprise Connect are essential for companies looking to boost answer rates and improve customer trust.

#EnterpriseConnect #WirelessWaypoint #BrandedCalling #CX #Trust #Telecom #OutboundCalls

At Enterprise Connect 2025, technology adoption is a major topic, and 1UC is here to help businesses navigate it smoothly. I caught up with Ash Webster from 1UC, a company that specializes in technology adoption and user training, offering white-labeled services that integrate seamlessly with major software providers like Luware, Microsoft, Cisco, Genesys, and Zoom.

"We act as an extension of our partners’ teams," Webster explained. "Whether it's rolling out Teams telephony, optimizing contact centers, or ensuring a smooth transition to a new platform, our goal is to enhance customer experience, accelerate adoption, and reduce support demands."

Unlike traditional training providers, 1UC goes beyond simple instruction. "We don’t just train—we enable success," Webster emphasized. The company works directly with technology vendors, ensuring that customers get the best possible experience while vendors see faster adoption and fewer support issues.

As businesses increasingly invest in unified communications (UC) and contact center solutions (CCaaS), ensuring users fully adopt the technology is critical. That’s where 1UC steps in—helping organizations bridge the gap between deployment and full-scale adoption.

For technology vendors looking to improve customer success and drive engagement, 1UC offers a proven solution.

Learn more at https://1uc.co.uk/

#EnterpriseConnect #UCaaS #CCaaS #DigitalTransformation #TechAdoption #Training #1UC

At Enterprise Connect 2025, David Sundstrom, Regional Sales Manager at LogiSense, highlighted how usage-based billing is transforming the way companies monetize software, AI, and connectivity services.

Moving Beyond Seat-Based Pricing

Traditionally, software and communications platforms relied on seat-based licensing, where businesses would buy a fixed number of user licenses. But as finance teams scrutinize renewals, questioning unused licenses and looking for cost efficiencies, enterprises are shifting to pay-as-you-go models.

“A much more elegant way to monetize your product is what we call a usage-based or consumption-based model, where companies pay for what they use,” Sundstrom explained.

LogiSense provides the billing infrastructure that enables businesses to move from static pricing to dynamic, real-time billing models. The shift comes with complexity—from tracking usage data to implementing flexible pricing structures—but LogiSense simplifies the process, making it easier for enterprises to roll out consumption-based services.

Flexible Pricing Models Drive Growth

A key advantage of LogiSense’s platform is its ability to support diverse pricing models, including:

Pay-per-use – Customers pay a fixed rate per event or interaction.

Tiered pricing – Volume discounts reduce per-unit costs as usage increases.

Pooled usage – Shared usage across an organization without individual licenses.

Wallet-based billing – Prepaid drawdown models, commonly used in IoT and AI, where businesses commit to a spend level and use credits as needed.

The AI Monetization Opportunity

AI is reshaping industries, and LogiSense is positioned at the intersection of AI and monetization. According to Sundstrom, there are three primary ways companies are integrating AI into their revenue models:

Enhancing existing services – AI is being used to automate processes and improve efficiency within existing platforms.

Monetizing AI-driven tasks – Businesses are charging per AI-generated action, such as automated customer responses or data processing.

Outcome-based billing – AI is delivering measurable results, and companies are shifting from activity-based billing to billing for successful outcomes.

A leading example of outcome-based billing is Salesforce, which is monetizing AI-assisted tasks based on results rather than usage. LogiSense’s billing platform supports this shift, allowing companies to charge based on the tangible value AI delivers.

Why MSPs, MSSPs, and Carriers Should Pay Attention

Managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), and carrier service providers are also prime candidates for usage-based billing models.

MSPs and MSSPs can bill clients based on service consumption, reducing waste and improving cost alignment.

Carrier service providers can bill on behalf of their partners, allowing them to adopt flexible models without building custom billing solutions in-house.

Where to Learn More

For those interested in learning more about usage-based billing and LogiSense’s solutions, the company’s website, logisense.com, offers additional resources.

Additionally, LogiSense will host the second annual Usage Economy Summit on November 5, 2025, in San Francisco. Following a successful inaugural event, this conference will bring together industry leaders to discuss the future of monetization, AI-driven billing models, and the impact of flexible pricing strategies.

As enterprises rethink how they charge for their services, LogiSense is helping businesses adapt, scale, and grow with smarter, usage-based billing solutions.

#EnterpriseConnect #LogiSense #UsageBasedBilling #SubscriptionEconomy #AI #Monetization #MSP #IoT

At Enterprise Connect 2025, Paul Holden, Vice President of EMEA at CallTower, shared insights on the company’s expansion in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and highlighted mobility as a key industry trend. Holden reflected on his one-year anniversary with CallTower, having been the first employee in the EMEA region for the 20+ year-old U.S.-based company. "It's been a great learning curve," he said, explaining that CallTower’s agnostic vendor ecosystem, which includes Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom for voice enablement, has helped establish the company in new markets.

Growing Presence in EMEA

CallTower’s expansion in EMEA has been steady. "A year ago, I was on my own, and now we’re a team of six," Holden said. The company has been building partnerships, identifying new routes to market, and refining its strategy to serve mid-market customers. Who is CallTower’s ideal customer? Holden pointed to mid-market businesses with multi-location operations, as their complexity requires seamless communication solutions across different platforms. "That’s where we win," he explained. On the partner side, CallTower is looking for managed service providers (MSPs), large resellers, and distributors who serve multi-location enterprises. "When you know where you win, you can target the right partners more effectively," Holden said.

What’s Hot in 2025? Mobility Takes Center Stage

One of the biggest opportunities Holden sees for 2025 and beyond is mobility. "You may have invested in Microsoft Teams for desktop calls, but what about mobile devices?" he asked. CallTower is focused on enabling native mobile dialers as Teams phone extensions, giving users the flexibility to seamlessly switch between business and personal calls. This feature, leveraging eSIM technology, allows calls to be made and received as if they were on a desk phone, even in low-bandwidth situations or while driving. "This is a game-changer," Holden said. "And it’s going to be a hot topic throughout 2025 and beyond."

Enterprise Connect & Channel Partners: Strengthening Relationships

At Enterprise Connect, CallTower is meeting with key technology partners, including Microsoft, Cisco, Zoom, and CCaaS providers like Five9, Solgari, and newly acquired Inoria (a Genesys partner). "It’s all about relationships," Holden emphasized. "People buy from people, and having strong vendor support gives confidence to our partners." Following Enterprise Connect, CallTower will head to Channel Partners in Las Vegas, which Holden described as "the Super Bowl of the industry." There, the company will shift its focus from vendors to channel partners, resellers, and distributors.

Learn More

For those interested in learning more about CallTower, Paul Holden can be reached at [email protected]

#EnterpriseConnect #UCaaS #CallTower #MicrosoftTeams #CiscoWebex #Zoom #Mobility #Telecom #ChannelPartners

At Enterprise Connect 2025, Michelle Ritz of Jabra joined Doug Green, publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the company’s latest innovations, including the new PanaCast 40 VBS and continuous improvements across Jabra’s product line.

Expanding Video Solutions for Small Meeting Spaces

Fresh off its ISE 2025 debut, Jabra introduced the PanaCast 40 VBS, the only Android-powered video bar for small rooms with a 180-degree field of view. Available mid-2025, this solution ensures all participants are visible, addressing the growing demand for small-room video solutions. “Small meeting rooms are the fastest-growing segment in office spaces, yet they remain underserved when it comes to video,” said Ritz. “The PanaCast 40 VBS ensures that every participant is captured clearly.”

Continuous Innovation in Video and Audio

Jabra also announced enhancements to its PanaCast 50 lineup, including BYOD mode and intelligent meeting space capabilities. These improvements reinforce Jabra’s commitment to future-proofing its products, ensuring customers receive long-term value. As part of Jabra’s approach to enhancing existing devices, the Jabra Speak 275 speakerphone received a firmware update. This new capability allows users to pair two Speak 275 units together, expanding coverage for medium-sized meeting rooms.

The Future of AV in Hybrid Workspaces

Jabra recognizes that hybrid work models demand seamless audio and video experiences. AV solutions must be user-friendly, integrate across platforms, and eliminate distractions, such as unwanted background movement in glass-walled conference rooms. Features like intelligent meeting space help teams stay focused by ensuring only in-room participants appear on camera.

What’s Next for Jabra?

With continuous software and hardware innovations, Jabra remains committed to expanding its video, headset, and collaboration solutions. Attendees at Enterprise Connect can visit Jabra at Booth #1227 for hands-on demos.

For those unable to attend, visit Jabra’s website for more details, product updates, and upcoming releases.